Buttressing Your Security

Do you fear the Lord?" a donor asked me as he was dropping off some items for children at the foundation I used to work for.. Normally, I would have just said "yes" and thanked him for his donation. Still, it felt different this time; I was alone in the office, and that line sounded like the type a serial killer says right before he strikes.  

I said yes but moved toward the receptionist's desk, where she kept her pencils, pens, and a pair of sharp scissors in a cup on her desk. While the man continued to fill out his donation papers, I quietly took the scissors out of the cup and put them behind my back in the waistband of my slacks. I had it nearby if I needed a weapon to ward off this potential Ted Bundy. 

I kept him talking until he had finished filling out his paperwork and told him how much the kids would appreciate the items he brought. I also sized him up – he was no taller than me and probably in his 50s. If I needed to act quickly, I would stab him in the eye, immobilizing him and giving me time to run out into the hallway and call for help.

I was surprised at how calmly I could decide to use lethal force if necessary, and I was also kicking myself for leaving the door unlocked while everyone else was at lunch. He mentioned that he had seen charities not give items to those in need, and I assured him that the sick kids in our hospital would get the items he donated. That explained his need to ask if I was a God-fearing woman so he'd know that I wouldn't keep the new Game of Life and Barbie dolls he was donating. 

He handed me his paperwork, and I walked him to the door, thanking him again for his donation while my heart was pumping so hard I was pretty sure he could hear it. I told him I would send a photo of us delivering the items. Once he was out in the hallway, I locked the door and put a chair in front of it. I returned the scissors to it's rightful holder and plopped down in a chair at the reception desk because my legs felt like they would give out from under me. Thirty minutes later, my co-workers started to trickle back and were surprised that the door was locked and a chair was blocking the door. When I told them what happened, we decided to have an impromptu staff meeting to develop a security policy. From that day forward, the door was locked if even two staff members were present, and we installed a doorbell to alert us if someone had arrived. It was simple enough and added some peace of mind.

Fast forward to today and my current career, where I make cold calls on small businesses and walk into security situations on any given day. Over the last year, I have physically walked into over 1,200 small businesses and about 85% of the time, I am often discouraged and wholly appalled at the lack of security most places have for their staff. I've walked into offices where I stood for five minutes, called out, and said hello. I heard people in the back, but no one came to the front. In the meantime, laptops, cell phones, and purses in the front could be quickly taken while the staff was hanging out in the back. With no cameras to be seen anywhere – a person could walk away with thousands of dollars of equipment in a briefcase virtually undetected, which would probably include sensitive information about the business. The other day, I walked into an office with an open door and a photocopy of six credit cards on top of the desk - it would have been nothing for me to slip out with those numbers to use as I wished. Worse, I've been in offices and announced myself only to have a lone woman walk up, startled that I had been standing there and she had no idea anyone was around. A single staff member is very vulnerable if they are unaware of the potential dangers. I was lucky that my "Fear the Lord" dude was harmless, but others might not be so lucky.

For my personal security, if no one comes to the front and I hear someone in the rear office, I NEVER walk back for a few reasons. One reason is that depending on the work policies at that particular organization, if you startle someone and they have a gun, they could shoot you in self-defense, thinking you are a burglar. Another reason is that as a woman, I could get jumped, so I will either write down the business's name or take a picture of the front door to remind me to call them later from the safety of my home.

My office experience heightened my own sensitivity, so I know that security is not something you play around with. It needs to be taken seriously for the sake of your staff and business. The best part is that it can be done relatively inexpensively.

Here are some simple suggestions for how to protect you,  your employees, and your customers:

• If you have the budget for a receptionist/administrative assistant, have them sit up front and set up a system of name badges for visitors. Your visitors should sign in and have the receptionist ask who they are visiting. Reception is the "gate-keeper," so give them a clear policy of how to guide guests to the people they need to see but train them to anticipate an issue before it becomes a crisis.

• For small businesses that do not depend on retail foot traffic, keep the door looked and install a doorbell or intercom system in which your guests can announce themselves. If you expect them, send someone to the front to open the door; if not, ask them to leave their information in the front, and someone will get back to them. 

• If you can't afford a dedicated receptionist and have the room - create a small receiving area where a guest can walk in the front and call who they need to see – the door to the rest of the office should be locked. The person who is meeting with a guest can walk up and let them into the rest of the office. 

• At night, ensure that the parking lot is well-lit and no one is left alone in the office. The last two staff members should use the buddy system to walk to their cars. Make a  policy that allows them to finish their work from home to prevent being the last person out the door after dark.  

     It's not about being paranoid; it's about being safe. Most of the time, you and your employees will not have an issue, but just like preparations for a weather emergency, you need to plan in advance to help keep everyone out of harm's way. Ultimately, having a boss who will protect their greatest "asset" speaks volumes about your integrity and how much you value your staff.